Posting tray



y 5, 1953 s. SEGAL 2,637,324

POSTING TRAY Original Filed Nov. 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l Qfi gl fink/11,601

M y 5, 1953 s. SEGAL 2,637,324

POSTING TRAY Original Filed Nov. 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 S. SEGAL POSTING TRAY May 5, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Nov. 2. 1945 I J F.

lllll llll III/IA/ S. SEGAL POSTING TRAY May 5, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Nov. 2, 1945 A a. s

Patented May 5, 1953 POSTING TRAY Samuel Segal, New York, N. Y., assignor to Wilson-Jones Company, Chicago, 111., a. corporation of Massachusetts Original application November 2, 1945, Serial No.

626,316. Divided and this, application Decemher 31, 1949, Serial No. 136,382

7 Claims. 1

The subjectmatter of the invention is an improved and. serviceable postin tray generally utilized to sustain a stack of record sheets in an orderly and clamped relation or in an appropriate unclamped relation to facilitate finger manipulation of the several sheets of the stack without however disturbing the proper order or classificati'on thereof. Specifically the invention maybe said to be directed to a simplified and expandible filing and posting tray for loose leaf sheets, index cards, ledger sheets, correspondence. and other important documents to which reference may be quickly desired.

This application is a division of. my prior application Serial No. 626,316: filed November 2, 1945', which. issued as Patent. No. 2,520,738 on August 29-, 1950;.

:One object of the invention is the provision of a hollow base having spaced and sli'dably and laterally displ'aceable racks for increasing the eh'ective width of the posting tray, the racks. cooperating with novel toggle. means to stabilize and insure uniform and smooth displacement of racks when bodily shifted: into or out of the tray. The invention a further object to provide means for normally holding the spaced racks locked to; prevent accidental withdrawal orretraction thereof from or into the base of the tray. Other important objects, advantages and salient aspectsof. the invention will appear from the following retailed. description considered in the light:- oi' the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is; a top. plan view of the tray shown partly broken away andv partly expanded.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of. Fig; 1,. shown partly-broken away;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal View of Fig. 1;, shown partly in section. andv partly broken away to illustrate-the internal construction.v

Figs. 4 is a bottom. plan view of Fig. 11.

Fig; 5 1's an enlarged sectional view on the line 5-Ei of Fig. 1.,

Fig; 6 is: an. enlarged sectional View on. the line 8--l6 ofiFig. I.

Illustrative. of the: embodiment disclosed, the tray generally denoted T- comprises: a sheet metal base or support; [9: having thev medially arranged depending boss: III defining a. longitudinally. disposed channel [21. To the spaced sides IE3 of the hollow boss I I (Figs. 1, 3 and l) and adjacentthe ends: thereof, the U-s-h-aped members It are appropriately fixedly secured within the channel it. These; U'-shapecl or channel-shaped members It characterize bearing means for rotatablysustaining the cylindrical portions I 5 (Fig. 4*) of the spaced screws It which have their inner cylindrical ends I; rotatably guided and confined in the bearing block [8. The bearing block In has spaced upstanding sides is fastened to the spaced sides [3 of the boss ll by the threaded members Parallel to and spaced above the alined and. rotatably guided screws [6 within channel 12 is the guide rod 2| which passes through openings 22' in the U-shaped and fixed end bearings I l secured in the boss H. This rod also extends through openings 23 in the spaced rectangular shaped blocks or runners 2 5. each having a threaded bore 25 in mesh with its respective screw it (Figs. 3 and i). By the arrangement disclosed rod 2 l is slidably sustained by the runners 2t. This rod although slidably and removably supported by the U-shaped end bearings M is provided with threaded end portions 25' removably sustaining threaded members 26 which are adapted to removably clamp against the front and rear walls 21 and 375 of the base, these walls embodying openings 2-8 (Fig. 3.) forremovably re:- ceiving the end threaded portions 25. By this arrangement, guide rod 2! may be removed or disconnected from thebase and withdrawn from the spaced runners 24 disposed within the boss ll. Conversely the rod 2'! may be quickly threadedthrough the front and rear walls. of the base and through the blocks or runners 24 and held in a fixed relation to the base by the clamping members 2'6. 7

The. base it which is preferably of sheet. metal may be said to be characterized by spaced hori- Zontal and fiat. sections 29. bent inwardly from sides 3! and 3| of the base. These plate sections 29 have their rear and front margins. welded re.- spectively to an. inwardly extending flange 36 of therear wall, 31 and, to. a flange 38 extending in.- wardly of the front wall. 21 on the base. Hence these. flat sections of plates are rigidly secured. to the sheet metalbase It.

Superimposed on. and substantially coextensive with the Width and length. of the horizontal and appropriately fixedly secured and spaced flat'sections 2-9- of the base are the flat sheet metal panels 39. These panels 39 have roughened surfaces til topreventslippingof the stack of. sheets (not shown),- vertically mounted between the spaced swingable follower or. leaf. 4!: and the swingable. compressor or leaf. 4.2, each of which. isdisposed transversely of. the base;

Slidably longitudinally of. the; base, but disrposed' transversely thereof, and superimposed on the spaced panels 39' are front and rear and 3 oppositely arranged substantially right an shaped brackets or supports generally denoted 43, each of which comprises a horizontal leg 44 and a vertical leg 45. The horizontal legs 44 each bridge the channel I2 and each includes a circular bearing or opening 49 (Fig. 3) rotatably guided on and removably receiving the circular outer surface of an associate annular boss 41 projecting upwardly from the runners 24. Since the lower legs 44 of the brackets are rotatably retained on the bosses 41, these brackets may be said to be swiveled. As illustrated, each boss 41 includes an internally threaded bore which extends downwardly into its respective runner. The threaded shanks of screws 43 adjustably cooperate with the threaded bores of the runners while the enlarged heads of the screws cooperate with the legs 44 to preclude their accidental removal from the annular and hollow bosses 41.

If a screw It be rotated its runner 24 is slidably and longitudinally displaced along the guide rod 2|, and consequently an associated leg 44 of the angle shaped bracket 43 is correspondingly linearly displaced relative to and longitudinally of the base I0.

Attached to the upstanding leg 45 of the brackets 43 and to the follower 4| and compressor 42 are the hingedly secured plates 50 and 5| having the fulcrum pins 52. By such hinged connection the follower and compressor may be selectively tilted relative to their brackets 43. For purposes of specification the pivoted follower 4| and compressor 42 may be considered as hinged plates for removably clamping a stack of sheet material placed in the tray, and these plates may be swung relative to the base In due to the hinged connecting means 59 and 5| carried by the brackets 43.

For controlling the degree of tilt of the follower or compressor an arcuate shaped handle 53 is associated therewith. The handle is fully described in my prior Patent No. 2,520,738, and the description will not be repeated in this application.

During use of the tray it is necessary at times to offset a selected sheet from the stack. Thus the width of the tray must be adiusted or compensated for to allow for such offsetting. The offsetting of a plurality of sheets from. the stack causes the stack to have a greater thickness ad jacent one edge of the leaves 4| and 42 than at the opposite edge. The swiveling of brackets 43 on bosses 4'! permits rotational adjustment of the leaves 4| and 42 so that both edges of the leaves may be held tightly against adjacent surfaces of the stack of sheets. Also in actual practice it is necessary that posting trays be made fairly compact to occupy relatively small office space. According to the invention, provision has been made to permit offsetting of the record cards or sheets without however sacrificing compactness and simplicity in construction. To this end the racks generally denoted R are each adapted to be laterally proiected relative to the sides 30 and 3| of the base I'0.

Specifically each rack comprises spaced and horizontally disposed arms 90 and 9| each being slidably guided widthwise of the base in a gap or slot 92 (Figs. 5 and 6) formed by the inwardly turned flanges 36 and 38 of the rear and front walls 31 and 21 to which the top wall sections 29 are welded, and by flanges 93 of spaced angle plates 94 welded to the rear and front walls 3! and 27 of the base I 0. Extending upwardly from each arm 90 and 9| is a vertical arm 95 Fi 3) 4 desirably coiled around and fastened to rails or rods 99. Thus each rack R embodies a rail 95 attached to spaced vertical arms .95 which in turn merge with the horizontally disposed arms and 9| slidably guided widthwise of the base in gaps 92 and adapted to be slidably shifted into or out of the base through the spaced slots 91 at the ends of the sides 30 and 3|. A horizontal arm 90 or 9| and its companion vertical arm may be said to characterize a bent member or a v bent arm.

Secured to each of the arms 90 and 9| of the spaced racks R is a link 98. More particularly, one end 99 of each link 98 is swiveled or hinged on a fulcrum pin I00 fastened to the arms 90 and 9|. The arms 90 and 9| are superimposed on links 98 and in fiatwise relation therewith.

The inside ends of links 98 each carry fulcrum means IOI on which the oifset arms I02 of the bell crank levers I03 are hinged or swiveled. The bell crank levers I03 thus are free of the arms 90 and 9|. However the elbows I04 of the bell crank levers are pivoted on the fulcrum posts or pins I05 anchored to the spaced sections 29 of the base.

The other arms I06 of the bell crank levers are hingedly connected on the fulcrum pins I0! fixedly carried at the end of the links I08 common to and interconnecting a companion pair of bell crank levers I03. By the arrangement disclosed, each bell crank adjacent the rear wall 3'! of the base coacts with a helicoidal compression spring I09 having its ends secured to rectilinearly guided and spaced arms 9| and the arms I06 of said bell crank levers. The tendency of springs I09 is to hold the racks R in a normally retracted relation, that is, to hold the corresponding arms 90 (Fig. 4) of the spaced racks R. yieldingly against the front wall 2'! and to hold the other corresponding arms 9| of the racks away from the rear wall 31. By such action, each notch I I0 on the toothed arms 90 may be automatically retained in interlocking relation with a fixed pin or detent III fixedly fastened to and extending downwardly from each section 29 of the hollow base I0. With a toothed arm 90 interlocked with its companion pin III, its respective rack R is locked against bodily and lateral displacement relative to the base. A rack R may be unlocked, however, by applying a thrust on its hand rail 96 in a direction towards the rear end of the base, that is, towards the end wall 31. By such action the rack It so manipulated is bodily displaced longitudinally of the base and towards the rear of the latter and the teeth of the bar 90 formerly interlocking with a fixed pin II I are rendered free. The spaced slots 91 in the spaced sides 30 and 3| of the base are adequate in length to permit bodily displacement of the racks R longitudinally of the base. The flanges 93 of the brackets 94 also guide longitudinal displacement of the racks R by preventing wobbling of the arms 90 and 9| Hence it is appreciated that each rack may be unlocked by displacing the latter longitudinally of the base. However, should manual pressure be removed from the rack which has been unlocked, its compression spring I09 bodily and automatically retracts the rack to its former locked relation with its cooperative locking pin I I.

Once a rack is unlocked it may be laterally projected to appreciably overhang the base, that is to say, if a toothed arm 90 is unlocked upon the manipulation of its companion rail 96, the rack may now be bodily and slidably withdrawn soarane and set to a selected position in which the instant manual pressure is removed from the handrail 96 the spring I09" recoils or retracts, automatically causing. the toothed arm 90- to again interlock with its companion pin II I.

The linkages comprising. each link We and the bell cranks W3 pivotal-1y secured thereto permit uniform withdrawal or retraction of a rack R from and into the base and prevent binding of the arms 90 and 91 against the walls of the base. Moreover the action of these linkages also serve to guide the directional: displacement of the arms M and BI and cooperate with flanges 93 to preelude wobbling' of the arms at and SH. The linkages in fact may be said to characterize equalizingmeans to facilitate smooth withdrawal or retraction of the racks R. Force applied to either rail 96 to move it outwardly is transmitted directly to the arms $13 and SI on the same side or the tray as the rail to which the force is applied. It the force is applied closer to either arm 99 or ill the particular arm closer to the point of application or" the force would have a tendency to move outwardly faster and to a greater distance than the other arm. However, either arm movirlg outwardly must move the link 38 secured thereto by the pin H30. Such movement of link 93 moves bell crank I03 about its pivot I05 because the arm IN! is pivotally secured to link 98, as indicated at 'IO I. Ihe arm I t6 of the bell crank is pivoted. to link I08 and any movement imparted to either bell crank is transmitted through link I08 to the other bell crank on the same side of the tray; "since the pivots we are each bell crank must move the same amount, and the link F08 'equal'i'zes the force applied anywhere along the rail 95. The force is transmitted through the linkage equally to opposite ends of the tray and arms 99 and SI are moved at the same rate so that they retain their parallel relationship and cannot bind against the base regardless of where the force is applied to the rail 96. Thus only finger tip pressure need be applied on the rail as 95 to first unlock its rack and subsequently bodily shift the same into or out of the base through the ends slots 91.

If it be assumed that a rack is unlocked, thereafter a slight lateral thrust on its rail will withdraw the rack. During such action the outer ends of the arms I02 of bell cranks I03 are directed outwardly by the arms 90 and 9| and the spring IE9 is distended. Specifically, however, on withdrawal of a rack laterally, links 98 are first actuated, causing arms I92 of the bell crank levers I03 to simultaneously swing outwardly whereby the short arms IllES of these bell crank levers are actuated, causing the displacement of the interconnecting and common link I88 which serves to stabilize the action or the racks R to provide for their smooth operation, and overcome wobbling and binding as the racks R are severally operated. Having withdrawn a rack to its selected position, finger pressure is removed from its rail, and its compression spring recoils or retracts, causing the arms 90 and 9| to move to their normal positions wherein the toothed arm 90 is interlocked with the companion detent means I I I. In the withdrawn relation of a rack, the width of the tray is increased. And of course both of the racks may be withdrawn to further increase such width. And where it is desired to move the racks to their normal position, each may be unlocked from its detent means I I I, and bodily shifted inwardly into the base and again locked against bodily lateral displacement as is well understood However during retraction of a rack after having been unlocked, links 98 shift the long arms :IBZ- of the bell crank levers inwardly, while the short arms I06 thereof coast. to displace their interconnecting link I08, thus again equalizing the action of the linkage to preclude binding orwobbling, of the arms and SI of the rack. The base it is provided with cushioning feet I28 to protect the surface upon which the tray is positioned.

Various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein.

I claim:

-1. In a posting tray for holding. a stack of sheets, a base for supporting said stack, a rack for increasing the effective width of said base comprising a rail disposed above said base and spaced arms sustaining said rail, said arms being shiftable relative to said base, stabilizing linkage interconnecting said arms and disposed within said base, said linkage having a plurality of fixed pivots to cause simultaneous displacement of said arms upon actuation of said rail to provide for uniform displacement of said arms out of or into said base upon bodily withdrawal or retraction of said rackrelati-ve to said base, and disengageable locking means to preclude bodily displacement of said rack relative to said base.

2. In a posting tray for holding a stack of sheets, a base having spaced openings, a rack for increasing the 'eiiective width of said base comprising a rail disposedabove said base and spaced arms sustaining said rail, said arms extending through said openings and being shiftable in said openings longitudinally and laterally of said base, stabilizing linkage interconnecting said arms and disposed within said base to permil: simultaneous displacement of said arms upon actuation of said rail to provide for uniform displacement of said portions out of or into said openings upon bodily withdrawal or retraction of said rack relative to said base, disengageable locking means to preclude bodily displacement of said rack relative to said base, said locking means comprising toothed means on one of said portions and detent means extending from said base, and spring means for normally urging said toothed means towards said detent means.

3. In a posting tray for holding a stack of sheets, a base having spaced openings, a rack for increasing the effective width of said base comprising a rail disposed above said base and spaced arms sustaining said rail, each of said arms extending through one of said openings, each of said openings being longer than the width of said arm extending therethrough, said arms being shiftable in said opening longitudinally and laterally of said base, stabilizing linkage interconnecting said arms and disposed within said base to permit simultaneous displacement of said arms upon actuation of said rail to provide for uniform displacement of said arms out of or into said openings upon bodily withdrawal or retraction of said rack relative to said base, detent means, one of said arms including spaced toothed means for disengageably interlocking with said detent means to prevent bodily displacement of said rack laterally of said base, said toothed means being disengageable from said detent means upon displacement of said rack 7 longitudinally of said base, and spring means for resisting said longitudinal displacement.

4. In a posting tray for holding a stack of sheets, a base having spaced openings, a rack for increasing the effective width of said base comprising a rail disposed above said base and spaced arms sustaining said rail, said openings being longer than the width of said arms, each of said arms extending through one of said openings and being shiftable in said opening longitudinally and laterally of said base, linkage pivoted to said base and arms and interconnecting the latter to allow simultaneous displacement of said arms upon actuation of said rail to provide for uniform displacement of said arms out of or into said openings upon bodily withdrawal or retraction of said rack relative to said base, and disengageable locking means to preclude bodily displacement of said rack relative to said base.

5. In a posting tray for holding a stack of sheets, a base for supporting said stack, a rack for increasing the effective width of said base comprising a rail disposed above said base and spaced arms sustaining said rail, said arms being shiftable longitudinally and laterally of said base; and stabilizing means equalizing the movement of said arms, said stabilizing means comprising links pivoted to said arms, bell crank levers pivoted to said links and said base, and another link common to said levers and pivotally connected thereto.

6. In a posting tray for holding a stack of sheets, a base having spaced openings, a rack for increasing the eifective width of said base comprising a rail disposed above said base and spaced arms sustaining said rail one of said arms having a toothed edge, said arms being simultaneously shiftable relative to said openings longitudinally and laterally of said base; stabilizing means equalizing the movement of said arms, said stabilizing means comprising links pivoted to said arms, bell crank levers pivoted to said links and said base, another link common to said levers and pivotally connected thereto; detent means adjacent said toothededge for interlocking therewith to prevent displacement of said rack laterally of said base, and spring means interconnecting one of said levers and said other arm for bodily and longitudinally retracting said rack pursuant to its displacement longitudinally of said openings and away from said detent means to interlock said toothed portion with said detent means.

7. In a posting tray for holding a stack 01 sheets, a base having spaced sides including spaced openings, spaced racks for increasing the effective width of said base, each of said racks comprising a rail disposed above said base and spaced arms sustaining said rail, one of said arms having a toothed edge, said arms being simultaneously shiftable longitudinally and laterally of said base in the spaced openings of one of said sides, stabilizing means for each of said racks, each of said stabilizing means equalizing the movement of the arms of its rack, each of said stabilizing means comprising links pivoted to said arms, bell crank levers pivoted to said links and said base, and another link common to said levers and pivotally connected thereto; detent means adjacent to said toothed edge for interlocking therewith to prevent displacement of said rack laterally of said base, spring means interconnecting one of said levers and said other arms for bodily and longitudinally retracting said rack automatically for interlocking with said detent means, each of said racks pursuant to unlocking of its toothed arm from its companion detent means being bodily displaceable laterally of said base under the control of said stabilizing means.

SAMUEL SEGAL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,266,444 Fosberg et al May 14, 1918 1,557,549 Becker Oct. 20, 1925 1,764,264 Jones et a1 June 17, 1930 1,774,914 Clark Sept. 2, 1930 

